Patterson Mountain Trail

Patterson Mountain Trail is a 3.7 mile out and back trail located near Winthrop, Washington that features a lake. The trail is rated as moderate and primarily used for hiking and snowshoeing. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

This hike is pretty straight forward; simply follow the signs. The trailhead begins just across the road from the public fishing parking lot (a Discover Pass is required). I followed the south loop before heading up to the summit based on a recommendation, then follow the north loop back to the trailhead. The trail is almost entirely in the sunshine with little tree cover, so start early if you plan to hike this trail during the summer. (Summer temps on Sun Mountain can easily exceed 95F by noontime.)

The only tricky part of the hike is on the north loop when you have to use the wooden ladder to cross over the barbed wire fence to follow the north loop. Make sure you cross over the ladder and do not walk along the barbed wire fence.

The views of the cascades and Method Valley are wonderful, and you get some good views of Patterson lake along the way. It took me just over 1 hr 30 min to complete the hike with a few water breaks along the way.

Incredibly scenic, moderate hike across the road from the Patterson Lake public fishing/swimming parking area. You start up the hillside until you get to a gate where you will see signs for the North loop and South loop. Either way you decide, halfway through the loop is another trailway sign that points the way to the summit. Keep an eye out for deer, mules and horses. There's a ladder to help you over one of the fencelines, otherwise there is just the one gate to contend with. Makes for a gorgeous evening sunset or stunning early morning sunrise hike.